Bob Jewett TECHTALK A Modest Proposal Thoughts on the double-hit rule The rule that causes the most problems in an inch of movement forward is for the cue rule. The shot may still be a foul according pool is the one about hitting the cue ball stick to hit the cue ball again. Or, suppose to the rule above, depending on exactly twice. Here is the wording in a proposed you play the same shot with a level stick how the player shoots. That is, you can foul revision of the World Standardized Rules: and aim high on the cue ball and use one of on close shots even with a nearly vertical "If the cue stick contacts the cue ball more the techniques I described in August to cue stick, and you can also foul when cut- than once on a shot, the shot is a foul. If the avoid the double hit. The cue ball will ting a close ball 45 degrees, especially if cue ball is close to but not touching an pause after hitting the object ball and then you use outside English. The other problem object ball, and the cue tip is still on the follow forward. The guideline would rule is that few players understand how high a cue ball when the cue ball contacts that such a shot a foul if the cue ball follows for- 45-degree elevation is, and I suspect that object ball, the shot is most of the league a foul." players who "avoid" The problem is that the foul by jacking up most players and are not in compliance many referees cannot with the special figure out when the league rule. rule has been violated. It's not just leagues There is a guideline in that make up their the current rules that own rules for double talks about the situa- hits. In the 1980 tion when the cue ball World 14.1 is within a chalk's Championship, the width of the object rule was that if the ball. It suggests that if referee couldn't actu- the cue ball penetrates ally see the cue tip hit the space occupied by the cue ball a second the object ball to more time, the shot was than a half-ball dis- fair regardless of the tance, the shot is prob- action of the cue ball. ably a foul. In the PBTA rule Unfortunately, that is book — the PBTA only a guideline, and was the former men's not a rule, although pro association, now many have assumed it defunct — the rule is a rule. Further, ille- was that it was OK to gal shots might be shoot directly at a judged as legal if peo- close ball as long as ple only pay attention you elevated some to the guideline, while and used draw. Also, some legal shots in at least one official might be judged as set of rules for illegal. English 8-ball (which By legal, I mean is very different from according to the rule American 8-ball), it is quoted above. Here permitted to play a are two examples: double hit provided Suppose the cue ball that the referee can- is half an inch from not see the double hit the object ball and with the naked eye. I suppose it is permitted to line up for the you shoot straight toward it with elevated ward more than a half-ball distance. Some shot and then wait for the referee to blink draw. The cue ball penetrates the space of leagues have developed their own rules to and shoot during the blink. It helps to shoot the object ball by an inch and then draws cover this shot. One invokes the 45-degree with a lot of speed for such shots. back. This is almost certainly a foul, but by rule: When the cue ball is close, the cue the guideline it is OK. On such shots the stick must be angled to at least 45 degrees, By contrast, at carom billiards and snook- cue ball usually stops dead as soon as it hits either vertically or as cut angle. I think er, the rule is that you can only hit the cue the object ball, and the only way to get even there are a couple of problems with this ball one time. Judging double hits usually 3 2 B D • J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6 seems not to be a problem. In any case, action of the draw, passes through to the one-pocket, you would have the additional there seems to be quite a lot of sentiment in tasty combo. advantage of having so many balls in favor of a rule change at pool with the goal Shown in Diagram 2 is a situation that motion that two or three of them would of removing the problem of judging double could be from 14.1 or one-pocket. Your also go into your pocket. hits. My proposal for such a rule is: "It is opponent has left you nearly frozen on the Finally, Diagram 3 shows a shot from permitted for the tip to straight pool. The 15th strike the cue ball more object ball (the break than one time, provided ball) is just over the line. that is it done with a sin- You have left the cue gle forward stroke of the ball in the rack, so you cue stick." can place it anywhere This doesn©t require behind the line. Put it 1 the referee to have fast or millimeter from the slow eyes. This would object ball so the line is certainly eliminate some straight to the side pock- of the arguments that et. Aim your stick happen currently. roughly along the line Assuming that such a shown and shoot hard. rule is adopted, what The cue ball will smash new shots become avail- straight into the front able that are not played two balls on the rack. normally today? Should these three In Diagram 1 I©ve shots be allowed? If you shown a situation from 9-ball. Your oppo- side of the rack, perhaps two millimeters have a better solution for a modified rule to nent has scratched, and you would like to from the first shaded ball. You notice that cover double hits, please send me an e- play the 1-5-9 combo, but the 3-4 cluster is the line of shaded balls points straight to mail ([email protected]). If you in the way. Just put the cue ball down an the corner pocket. Under the current rule, missed the August article, it is now avail- inch from the 1 ball and shoot straight there is no way you could get enough able online along with all my previous toward the 3-4. Use just a little draw on the power into the first ball to activate the Billiards Digest articles at www.sfbil- cue ball. The 1 ball takes out the 3-4, and chain reaction without a double hit, but liards.com/articles/BD_articles.html. the cue ball, which arrives after the block- with double hits allowed you could just lay Some other articles in 1993 also discussed ers have vamoosed due to the slowing into the shot with break-shot speed. At close ball situations. B D • J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 6 3 3 Bob Jewett TECHTALK Better Safe Than Sorry Poor shot selection left a foul taste in Marlon Manalo's mouth The International Pool Tour's "King was puzzled when I saw he was about to using the 3 ball. It was close enough to the of the Hill" tournament, which took place play this, since it was sure to leave a direct cushion to make the shot in Diagram 2 in Orlando, Fla., in early December, was path to the 11. Of course, Bustamante had relatively easy. Hit the 3 ball thinly and an event you should not have missed. little chance to make the 11 on the shot, just hard enough to come off the cushion What amazed me was that I actu¬ ally enjoyed watching 8-ball, although it was not the kind of 8- ball you see at "The Rack and Roll" on Friday night. Diagram 1 shows a situation that came up in the match between Francisco Bustamante and Marlon Manalo late in the final round-robin stage. The shot was pivotal in deciding the win¬ ner of the tournament, in that the winner of the stage would go on to face Mike Sigel for the crown. Bustamante had just fouled, and Manalo had to decide what to play. There was no particularly good way to break out Manalo's 7 ball, which was stuck against Bustamante's 11 ball. A major factor in the choice was that the tournament was using the three-foul rule: If you fouled and was likely to break out the tied-up to rest against the 3, which is a little far¬ three times in a row, you lost the game. solid. Disaster struck when Manalo hit the ther up the rail. (The before and after posi¬ This rule had been in the Billiard cushion rather than the 6 ball first and got tions have been moved apart for clarity; Congress of America rules for 8-ball from no cushion after contact, committing a the balls don't actually move that far up 1980 to 1985, but foul of his own. At the the cushion on the shot.) You have to prac¬ was dropped presum¬ time there was some tice this shot, or else it won't work when ably because the confusion about the you need it.